Venting device



J. B. TEGARTY VENTI NG DEVICE Oct. 2, 1956 Filed Jan. 14, 1955 INVENTOR.

3 ATTORNEYS.

VENTING DEVICE John B. Tegarty, Mentor, Ohio, assignor to Thomas K. M. Victory, Shaker Heights,'0hio, as trustee Application January 14, 1953, Serial No. 331,153

1 Claim. (Cl. 98-37) This invention relates to venting devices and the like and particularly to venting devices or breathers for installation in the outside walls of wooden buildings so as to provide a restricted passage therethrough which will permit air to enter and discharge from the space between the inner and outer walls.

Generally, in wooden houses the outside wall is provided by securing on the outside of the studding the usual wood or composition board sheathing over which, in turn, the lap siding is secured. Usually, the conventional plaster wall is provided on the inside of the studding.

In the earlier type of frame construction it was customary to leave the spaces between adjacent studs open from top to bottom of the studding. As a result air could circulate through the spaces and vent into the basement or the attic, depending upon the convection currents and the like. Due to this circulation of air moisture did not accumulate between the inner and outer walls and particularly in the outer wall. In the present type of frame construction the practice is to block the spaces between adjacent studs, usually by a cap or wall plate at the top of the studs at or near the floor of the attic and also by horizontal fire stops at different levels between the upper and lower ends of the studs.

As a result of blocking the spaces between the studs in this manner air cannot circulate in the spaces defined by adjacent studs and the inner and outer walls.

Generally, the inner plaster walls of a room are cooler than the air contained in the room and, as a result, the warm air in the room is chilled upon contact with the wall. This chilling results in the precipitation on the inner wall of a certain amount of the moisture contained in the air of the room. This moisture is quickly absorbed by the plaster walls and then passes through the inner plaster Wall and evaporates in the air in the spaces between the inner and outer walls. Since this moisture cannot be carried away by circulating air it is subsequently absorbed by the outside sheathing and lap siding. This absorption continues until the lap siding becomes so charged with moisture that the paint peals 01f over substantial areas.

When thermal insulation material is placed in the spaces defined by the walls, studding and fire stops, the condition is aggravated.

Because of this accurrtmulation of moisture it has become a common practice to provide means for admitting air into these spaces at various locations about the house. Frequently, this is done by boring holes through the lap siding and the sheathing and inserting tubes of aluminum and the like into the holes, the tubes permitting ingress and egress of air into and out from the spaces between the walls. These tubes are commonly referred to as breathers and their manner of installation and use are well known.

The present invention relates to a ventilating device or breather for such purposes and particularly one which is both sufiiciently weatherproof to prevent or greatly retard ingress of rain and the like therethrough into the space between the walls under normal weather conditions,

nited States Patent and which is operative to retard the entrance of air into the space therethrough while permitting relatively free egress of air therethrough and resulting effective ventilation of the space.

The device comprises essentially a tube which is open at both ends, one end being the inlet and the other end the outlet. A baffie is arranged in the tube, preferably near the outlet end and extends transversely of the path of the flow of air through the tube. The baflle is streamlined from one face toward the outlet end of the tube so as to permit relatively free flow of air through the tube from the inlet end past the bafile and out of the outlet end. The bafile is arranged so as not to be streamlined toward the inlet end but so as to terminate in surfaces extending at an abrupt angle to the length of the tube, and preferably at right angles to the axis of the tube, so as to cause turbulence in the air stream flowing from the outlet end toward the inlet end and thus to retard the flow toward the inlet end.

Various objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description wherein reference is made to the drawings, in which:

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 are a side elevation, left end elevation, and right end elevation, respectively, of a device embodying the principles of the present invention;

Figs. 4 and 5 are longitudinal, conventionally modified, sectional views of the device taken as indicated by the line 44 in Fig. 2, showing in Fig. 4 the characteristic flow of air from the outlet of the tube toward the inlet end, and showing in Fig. 5 the characteristic flow of air from the inlet end of the tube to the outlet end; and

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view of a side wall of a house showing the device installed therein.

Referring first to Fig. l, the device comprises a tube 1 which is preferably formed of relatively rigid thermoplastic or thermo-setting material, such as cellulose acetate, or any of the relatively hard and stiff setting synthetic resins which are sufficiently strong and resilient to permit drive fitting into an opening through the wall.

Within the tube and preferably closely adjacent the outlet end is a baffie, indicated generally at 3, which extends transversely of the path of flow of air through the tube between the outlet end from the inlet end which is indicated at 4.

In the form illustrated, the baffle comprises an annular portion 5 and a central portion 6, the annular and central portion being supported on suitable spider arms, as illustrated, and the bafile and spider arms being formed integral with the tube. If desired, the tube may be tapered slightly externally from the outlet end toward the inlet end 4 so as to assure proper drainage outwardly in the event water is blown into the tube.

The baflie is arranged so as to be generally streamlined in the direction of flow of air through the tube from the inlet end 4 toward the outlet end, but is arranged so as not to be streamlined in the opposite direction but instead so shaped as to cause turbulence in the air stream flowing past it toward the inlet end.

Thus, as best illustrated in Figs. 4 and 5, the annular ring 5 of the baflle is relatively blunt or flat at its inner face 7 but is tapered gradually both externally and internally from the face 7 to its opposite end, as indicated at 8, thus providing a streamlined effect in the direction of flow of air toward the outlet end. The central bafile portion 6 also is relatively flat at its inner end, as indicated at 9, and tapers gradually toward the outlet end of the tube. The spider arms likewise may be streamlined in like manner and form part of the baflle.

Accordingly, when air enters the tube from the outlet end adjacent the flange 2, eddy currents are set up by the fiat surfaces at the inner face 7 of the baffle. Thus resistance is set up to the flow of air through the tube Patented Oct. 2, 1956' 3 from the inner face of the battle toward the inlet end 4. On. the other hand, as.illustr ated. in. Fig. 5, when. the air is passing through the tube from the inlet end 4 toward the outlet end, no appreciable turbulence is set up at the outer face or end: of the-bafile 3 due-to thestreamlineds shape and, as a result, there is, a relatively free flow of air from. the end. 4 past the bafile and out of the fiangedi tube, as illustrated in; Fig. 4, considerable velocity. of

flow through. the tube is.initiatcdibut-promptly causes consid'erable eddy currents in the tube and: the eddy currents resist the ingress. oi the. air; Generally, ifsuch a breeze continues for: an interval, a certain amountof static pressure is. built up in the space between the walls and as soon as the breeze or gust of air; discontinues, the air between the walls is readilyvented. Of course, if the breeze continues directly toward the outlet for a long enough interval, suflicient pressurezis builtup in the space between the walls sov that little additional; air can. enter as the air pressure itself can then restrain further entrance of air even if the-turbulence has. been: greatly reduced by cessation of flow resulting from the internal pressure. However, a slight abatement in the force of the airblowing toward the outlet end of the tube permits. the air to vent from between. the walls quite rapidly due to. the streamlined effect in that direction. of flow.

Onthe other hand, when the outside air is blowingalong the wall, or transversely of the tube, a considerable suction is developed at the outlet end and the air, within the walls can how out very readily and. at a considerable velocity as the streamline efiect permits this rapid flow. But when the force of the blow abates, the bafile rcstrains and slows down the draining of air through the tube.

The device is installed in the usual manner, as illustrated in Fig. 6, wherein is shown the side wall of the house, including an upright stud 1t), sheathinglih andlap siding 12, the house being provided with. an inner wall of plaster board 13, covered with the usual plaster coats 114. A suitable hole is drilled through the lap siding 12. and sheathing 11, the hole preferably being slightly smaller than. the exterior diameter of the tube 1.. The tube isthen started in the hole and tappedv in with. a mallet until the flange 2 is seated as firmly as possible against the outer surface of the lap siding The tube'is preferably provided with a number of external tapered splines 15 which can bite into. thewood. and. thus hold, the, tube. tightly in place, and.

prevent it from rotating about its axis and loosening.

If desired, of course, thetube may be made of metal or other material but the thermo-setting or thermoplastic materials described are preferred inasmuch as their coefiicient of expansion is more nearly equal that of the wood and, consequently, during repeated heating and cooling, there is no tendency to expand and contract appreciably and thus enlarge the hole in which the tube has been installed. Asa result the, tube made of such material remains in place more efiiciently. Furthermore, such material is practically inert with respectto the atmosphere, rain and the usual foreign matter draining down the side of a house and consequently will last. indefinitely and will not cause any discoloration on the outside wall due to oxidation or break down of the material of the tube or any reaction thereof with wet wod.

Having thus described myinvention, I claim:

A, venting device comprising an elongated tube which is open at both. ends for. the flow of fiuids endwise therethrough, a, bame, in the tube, said bafile comprising a. central element which iscoaxial with the tube, an annular element concentric with the central element and disposed.

between the central element and the tube. and in spaced relation toyeach radially ofthe tube, each of said, elements having. opposite ends which face toward opposite endsof the tube, respectively, the ends facing toward one end of the tube; being; Substantially flat, in, the radial cross sectionsv of'the elements, the ends facing the other end of the tube being thin in the radial cross section of the elements, the central element: tapering. exteriorly from its fiat end; to its opposite end and the annular element having: itsinner and outer peripheral Walls converging relatiye, to eachother from, its said; fiat end to its other end.

References. Cited in the file of this patent UNITED. STATES PATENTS 2,513,056 Scallon June 27, 1950 2,521,636 Kurth Sept. 5', 0

FOREIGN PATENTS 459,965- Great Britain Jan. 19, 1937 586,341 Great Britain Mar. 14, 1947 OTHER REFERENCES Damp Vent- Co., published by Wardlow and Jordan, Bettendorf, Iowa, Mar. 27, 1952, page 1. 

